The ABCs of health care reform

The new Colorado insurance exchange is gearing up for its official launch later this year, but a new poll finds some Coloradans still aren't really sure what health-care reform will mean for them.

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LA Junta Tribune - La Junta, CO

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Posted May. 28, 2013 at 9:06 AM
Updated May 28, 2013 at 9:07 AM

Posted May 28, 2013 at 9:06 AM
Updated May 28, 2013 at 9:07 AM

Denver, Colo.

The new Colorado insurance exchange is gearing up for its official launch later this year, but a new poll finds some Coloradans still aren't really sure what health-care reform will mean for them.
A poll out today from Latino Decisions finds that most Hispanic Coloradans have found the Affordable Care Act confusing and complicated. Melanie Herrera Bortz, co-director of the Latino health care engagement project "Adelante con la Salud," said it's important that people know how to use the Connect to Health Colorado system when it goes online in October.
"I think everybody will need health insurance at some point in their lives," she said. "and so, trying to break that down and figure out how it works, and then with that, really talking about the affordability piece."
The act, also known as "Obamacare," includes tax credits to help pay for premiums for people making less than a certain amount of money; for a family of four, that's $94,000 a year. It also offers free preventive care, such as screenings for diabetes, blood pressure monitoring and cholesterol testing. More than 80 percent of poll respondents said they want access to those types of tests.
Herrera Bortz knows firsthand how important health-care reform can be. She said her husband lost his job earlier this year, and with it went their health benefits. They're using COBRA now, at a cost of $1,600 a month.
"My husband has a chronic health condition, so there is no way we could play with anything," she said. "The fact of not having health insurance is not even an issue for our family. When the marketplace is opened up, hopefully we can go on there and get a more affordable plan."
Adelante con la Salud will hold a series of community forums across the state in coming weeks to help people learn more about health-care reform.